Cafferty File

Ready for start of 2012 presidential campaign?

FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:

If it's 2011, it must be 2012...

And that means another presidential campaign is already under way. That's unfortunate, but we really don't have a choice.
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Potential Republican challengers to President Obama are popping up everywhere.

You can spot them in the early voting states - like New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina; and you can hear them weighing in on national debates, like raising the federal debt limit. What makes it worse is a lot of them are the same bunch we were subjected to last time around.

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee is all over the place promoting his new book, and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney just returned from a week-long trip to Afghanistan and the Middle East - gotta beef up those foreign policy credentials. The country's been there and done that with Romney and Huckabee.

A newcomer, former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, had already made numerous trips to Iowa by last summer.

Others are hinting they may be interested - including Donald Trump. He does that every four years.

One strategist tells Politico the potential candidates "are like bubbles in a shaken bottle of champagne. They are anxious and ready to pop."

A couple of new polls suggest Huckabee, Romney and Sarah Palin are still at the top of the Republican pack with Newt Gingrich, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Congressman Ron Paul bringing up the rear.

On the other side, the Democratic National Committee announced today that President Obama's re-election campaign will be based in Chicago starting in March or April. Here we go again.

Here's my question to you: Are you ready for the start of the 2012 presidential campaign?

Interested to know which ones made it on air?

David in Vancouver writes:
I can't wait! I'm a Canadian, so this is blasphemy, but give me a good old rootin' tootin' American election campaign over a hockey game any day! It's TV at its best. Which of her dainty feet will Sarah Palin insert in her pretty mouth next? Who's going get caught talkin' trash into an open mic? Is the Donald going to toss his hat in the ring? Is Nader? Will Hillary swap jobs with Joe? Will Joe pull a "Joe"? Will Hillary pull an upset? It doesn't get better than this, even on skates!

Al in Delaware writes:
Hell no. I want to see less campaigning and a little more governing.

Steve in Illinois writes:
I admit it, I'm an election junkie. It's my favorite sport (short of Bears-Packers games of course). I was thrilled when Vilsack announced right after the 2006 midterms and Obama and Clinton not far behind. Come on, Republicans, I'm bored with you all. Let's rumble... peacefully.

Mike in Mississippi writes:
Here in Mississippi all the talk is about Haley Barbour and his plans to run for president. It has been speculation in all the news and the talk of the town in the state capitol!

Bob in Quebec writes:
The sooner it starts, the sooner it's over and then we can all get charged up over the 2014 midterms.

Renee in Illinois writes:
Why don't you just ask if we're ready for those Mayan end-of-the-world predictions in December of 2012? That'll probably be more fun than another election campaign. It would almost be worth the end of the world if it means we never again have to listen to hypocritical campaign rhetoric from either side!

Buster in Pougkeepsie, New York writes:
As ready as I am to see you, Jack, and Rosie O'Donnell together doing the tango naked on "Dancing with the Stars."